Zoho integrates payments into enterprise workflows with Zoho Payments

Zoho has announced Zoho Payments as a unified payment platform for US businesses, aimed at helping CIOs streamline financial operations with enterprise-grade security and scalability.

Fully integrated with Zoho’s ecosystem — including Zoho Books and CRM — Zoho Payments supports card and ACH transactions across 135+ currencies, according to a company statement.

“Businesses need a payment solution that not only offers flexibility, but is also tightly connected to their financial operations,” Raju Vegesna, chief evangelist at Zoho, said in a press note. The platform taps into Zoho’s AI capabilities — from Analytics 6.0 to DDPM — to automate workflows and accelerate digital transformation in a cashless economy.

The move positions Zoho against entrenched players such as Stripe and PayPal, offering a natively integrated alternative built for mid-size companies and large enterprises.

Native integration

Zoho Payments aims to eliminate third-party gateways by integrating with Zoho’s finance and sales apps and reducing system sprawl — a top CIO pain point. Built to mirror the synergy seen in Zoho Analytics 6.0 and DDPM, it is designed to focus squarely on end-to-end financial workflows.

“Our transportation company used third-party portals before, but the extra logins and disconnected integrations disrupted our flow,” James Martin, Founder and CEO of Keystone Transport Services, said in a press release. “Zoho Payments, integrated with Zoho Books, unified our processes and cut onboarding time significantly. Now, one person can easily accomplish over 100 times the work as before,” Martin noted. 

“Zoho Payments’ native integration simplifies IT environments and reduces costs,” said Divya Baranawal, principal analyst at QKS Group. “With automated reconciliation and payout tracking, it eases finance workloads while aligning IT with business goals.”

Market positioning

Zoho Payments provides enterprises with PCI DSS Level 1 compliance and real-time fraud detection, mirroring Zoho’s security focus in Analytics 6.0. The offering supports over 135 currencies, enabling global transactions while maintaining local compliance. Zoho Payments will support both one-time and recurring payments, catering to e-commerce and subscription-based business models.

Industry data indicates a broader trend towards cashless transactions, with approximately 87% of transactions now cashless, according to Capital One Shopping data, and 81% of US consumers preferring card payments. This shift is driving businesses to adopt payment systems that accommodate these evolving preferences.

In a crowded field, Zoho’s edge lies in native plug-and-play integration with Zoho Books and CRM, contrasting with Stripe’s API-heavy setup and PayPal’s SMB focus. Adyen offers strong global coverage but involves more complex integration. While Zoho’s pricing is comparable to Stripe’s, transparency remains limited.

“Zoho Payments’ value proposition hinges on AI-driven automation via Zia Agents and Projects Plus, offering CIOs real-time insight and agility,” said Baranawal. Still, Stripe’s API flexibility remains a key advantage for organizations requiring highly customized solutions.